WINTER ‘06/’07 NEWSLETTER
Text Box: Begin in forearm plank. Press down firmly through the forearms, hands and fingers. Begin to lift the hips upon a diagonal, at the same time move the shoulders back off the elbows. Walk the feet in a couple of little steps towards the body. Align the body as you would in down dog. Check back with your base; make sure the arms maintain a rectangle between the wrists and the elbows (the props will help you do this)

Big Apple Core News
Text Box: What’s Going On Text Box: We have a winner!! Congratulations Sandra Lespinasse. She won two free semi-private sessions! We will be taking a break this holiday season for the semi-privates but stay tuned in January….

Words for Thought

 “You must practice being happy, as you must practice everything, and you will be”

                                                       -George Balanchine
Text Box: Big Apple Core News Text Box: Move Your Core NY Text Box: Engage the abs. Tuck your toes under and lift the body to plank. Create one long line of energy from head to the heels. Keep the grounding of your forearms and feet and work the entire body to keep you up in one solid piece. Hold for 4-8 breaths. Text Box: Begin on your belly with the elbows under the shoulders. Line the wrists and elbows to form a rectangle. Press down firmly with fingers, palms of hands, and forearms. Lift the upper body so that the muscles along the back and sides of the ribcage are engaged. To open across the chest, extend the collarbones out the sides, lift the sternum towards your thumbs, and draw your shoulders away from your ears and down into the back. Text Box: As the cold air settles in it is important to heat the body and open the shoulders. The featured poses are so good to counterbalance all of those bags we are carrying this time of year and the heavy coats that weigh us down. They are also great to do together to Text Box: work the whole body if you only have a few minutes to workout, which I am guessing is this case for most of us this holiday season.

Pilates Pose:      Forearm Plank

Featured Poses    

This is even more vigorous than the regular plank. It is a great exercise to do with props to help maintain the alignment of the shoulder girdle. If you do not have props, work on keeping your foundation throughout the exercise.

Physical benefits: Strengthens the entire body, opens the shoulders

Level: Beginner

Props: Use a yoga block, frame it with the index finger and thumb. This will help you from rolling the hands into center. Also, use a strap or a belt above the elbows to keep the arms aligned. With the use of these two props the pose will challenge you to really open your shoulders.

Yoga Pose:     Dolphin

This is a continuation of the last pose to take the opening of the shoulders to the next level. This pose can also be done using the props.

Physical Benefits: Opens shoulders, stretches back and hamstrings

Level: Beginner

PHOEBE KELLY

Private Yoga and Pilates Training

Move Your Core New York

Featured Poses:

 

Pilates: Forearm Plank 

Yoga: Dolphin

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Modification: keep your knees on the floor.

Challenge: Lift one leg off the floor without distorting the pelvis.
Rounded Rectangle:

Pain Free by Peter Egoscue. This book along with his others is great for anyone who suffers from chronic pain. He guides you through learning your body’s misalignments and assigns exercises that will help you live pain free. You can find his books at www.amazon.com.

Lucy.com has a wonderful selection of clothing for the fitness chick.  Great selection of Pilates/yoga wear as well as clothes for “on the go” if you love fitness wear.

Massage Balls. If you can’t afford to buy a massage for your loved one here is the next best thing! I keep this nearby whenever I have knots. They come in different sizes. Cheap too! Check out www.megafitness.com  (P.S. This website also offers the props that are used in this issue’s Featured Poses section)

This holiday season is a wonderful chance to give a loved one the gift of fitness. Here are some of my gift picks:

¨ To open the chest, extend the collarbones to the sides, lengthen the sternum towards the chin, draw the shoulders away from the ears and into the back body. To lengthen the back, lift the shoulders off the elbows, and the hips off the shoulders to take you higher.

¨ To stretch the hamstrings, lengthen the heels towards the floor and lift the sitz bones up.

¨ Hold for 4-8 breaths.

Volume 1, Issue 3

January